


Lonely is a Lifetime

by peachesandass



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Anyway I love my boys!!! I just want them to be happy, First Kiss, If you're here for Mileven that's not what's happening sorry, Kissing, Loneliness, M/M, Or is it??? We'll see, Pining, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 13:54:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13482867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachesandass/pseuds/peachesandass
Summary: Will Byers is the loneliest that he's ever been.He's alone at college, just wishing he was with Mike. Mike, who has Jane. Mike, who doesn't really need Will. Mike, who Will has loved since kindergarten.





	Lonely is a Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> They're about 19 / college aged in this
> 
> Please leave a comment! I'll take any criticism, as I don't write much and love any advice.  
> Also thank you so much for reading this! I love all of you

To put it simply, Will Byers was the loneliest boy in the world.

 After graduating high school, Will chose to attend a small university near Hawkins where he could focus on art - it was close enough to his mom but far enough so that he was technically independent. His other friends went off to universities farther out, but Mike and Jane were only a few hours away from Will. They all vowed to keep in touch after graduation, but Will rarely heard from most of them. He supposed they were all too caught up in the chaos of college, which he understood himself, but couldn't help but be a bit hurt. 

However, Will got calls from Mike every week. He loved talking to him and hearing about his classes and his roommate. He didn't love hearing about Jane. Jane, who is still beautiful, who is still "the best girlfriend in the world", and who still gives Mike all the happiness he deserves. Jane Jane Jane. Will liked Jane, a lot, but he loved Mike. He walked to class; thought about Mike. He saw couples in his dorm building; thought about Mike. He listened to his roommate call his girlfriend; thought about Mike.

Mike, Mike, Mike.

Will Byers loved Mike, but sometimes he thought Mike was a real asshole. He only talked about Jane and how much he loved Jane and how happy he is with Jane and how proud he is of Jane, and the whole time, Will is just stewing in his own loneliness. He wanted to be happy for Mike, he was, but his jealousy got in the way most of the time.

Will started university with optimism and hope. Maybe he would find a boyfriend and get over Mike, maybe he would get selected for an art show somewhere, maybe he would drink and smoke and finally let loose a little. WIll started his first semester and was quickly let down. He couldn't be with anyone without thinking about Mike. He spent all of his time drawing and painting and staying in the studio until three in the morning and couldn't even go out. If he wasn't working on school work he was in his dorm room thinking about Mike. He still had nightmares sometimes, and all he wished for when he woke up was to be wrapped in Mike's arms. Michael Wheeler was fucking ruining him.

 

Mike called Will one night in March. Will fell from his tall dorm bed and eagerly picked up the yellow landline that his mom had gifted to him at the beginning of the year.

"Hey, Mike!" Will twisted the cord around his finger and sat on the ground by his desk.

"Byers! How are you? What's going on, how are classes?" Mike rushed through his questions as Will laughed.

"Good, good, they're fine. How are you, Mike?" Will twisted the phone cord tighter around his finger.

"Uh, great! So, anyway, are you free this weekend? You know, I don't have anything important going on so I thought I'd come up to visit? Maybe spend the weekend? If, if that's okay with you, ya know. If, uh, if that's alright."

"Of course, Mike. I'd love that." Will sighed.

"Awesome. Okay, so I'll call later, alright? Jane and I are going out, so I'll call later." 

Will could practically hear Mike smiling through the phone.

"Okay." Will whispered into the phone just before hearing static from Mike's line.

Will was excited of course, but couldn't help feeling disheartened. He hung up the phone, stood from the floor, and pulled himself back into his lofted bed. Grabbing a pillow, he faced the wall and stared blankly at the sterile white walls of his dorm room. His chest burned as he thought about seeing Mike for the first time since the semester began. He thought about finally hugging him and seeing his smile in person. He thought about things that would never happen as tears dripped from his eyes onto the pillow his arms were wrapped around - Mike and Will holding hands as they walked around campus, Mike wrapped around Will in his tiny twin bed, Mike and Will kissing while Mike holds Will's jaw in his strong hands.

 

Mike told Will that he would be at Will's college around five pm on Friday, so Will eagerly waited for him outside his dorm building. At 4:30, Will sat in the grass outside his building with his paper and charcoal and spent time drawing until Mike arrived. He practiced drawing the building opposite his dorm, his own hands, and Mike's curly hair. Some time passed, and a shadow was cast over his drawing pad. He cast his eyes upward and was met with Mike's wide smile. He had grown to a little over six feet tall, most of his height being his long legs. His freckles were more prevalent than when they were younger, and his hair had curled and wrapped around his ears.  Will tossed his papers onto the ground and shot up, wrapping his arms around Mike. Mike dropped his bags and lifted Will off of the ground, both of them laughing in the process. Mike spun in a circle with Will in his arms, then placed him back on the ground, keeping his hands on Will's shoulders. 

"Hey there, Byers" Mike grinned.

Will chuckled and wiped the tears that he felt starting to fall from his eyes.

"I missed you." They said at the same time.

Both boys just smiled at each other, Will hoping that Mike would never let go.

Mike took a step back, dropping his hands from Will's shoulders, and grabbed his bag from the ground. "So show me around! How's the art? How's the roommate? How's this new town treating you?"

"Whoa slow down, Mike." Will smiled, picking his papers up from the grass below him. "Why don't you set your shit down in my room? Then I'll answer some questions."

Mike nodded, breathless and blushing, and followed Will into the building.

 

 

 


End file.
